The Fort Scott Police Department daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.
The department is located at 1604 S. National, Fort Scott, KS 66701 and can be reached at 620-223-1700.
Click here, then click on the image to enlarge:
Obituary For Alice Ramsey
Alice B. Ramsey, 86, formerly of Uniontown, KS, passed away May 26, 2018, at Country Place Living in Fort Scott, KS.
She was born March 7, 1932, in Fort Scott, the daughter of Glen and Grace (Konantz) Griffith of Uniontown.
Alice married Ed L. Ramsey in Uniontown, May 26, 1951. After 2 years in the US Air Force, they made their home on a farm north of Uniontown. He preceded her in death Feb 28, 2001.
She began part time employment at the Farmer’s Coop in Uniontown in the late 60’s. In 1971 she started working for Union State Bank and retired in March 1997, after 26 years.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Uniontown, serving as treasurer many of those years. After moving to Fort Scott, she transferred her membership to the First United Methodist Church. Alice loved her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, serving Him daily.
She enjoyed playing cards with her Uniontown friends and attending sports activities to watch her grandchildren play. Alice served with the Ladies Auxiliary of Mercy Hospital.
Surviving are her four children, Gayle and husband Jim Sackett, Linda and husband Harold Rogers, Curtis and wife Darla Ramsey, all of Fort Scott, and Michael and wife Vicky Ramsey of Olathe, KS. Also surviving is her sister-in-law, Lucille Griffith, Fort Scott.
She is loved by her grandchildren Sam and Sarah Sackett, Christy (Sackett) and Nathan Bukowski, Joey and Michelle Sackett, Katya and Anya Sackett, Austin and Andrew Rogers, Melissa (Rogers) and Jonathan Carter, Megan (Rogers) and Matt Lamb, Trent and Emily Ramsey, Ryan and Sonya Ramsey, Monica Ramsey, Derek and Elise Ramsey, and Amber Ramsey.
She also has 17 great grandchildren.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers Charles Griffith, Uniontown, Henry Griffith and wife Dorothy, Topeka, and sisters Betty and husband Bill Perry, Montana, and Lois and husband John Clark, Shawnee Mission, KS.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, May 31 at the Community Christian Church.
The family will receive visitors one hour before the service. A private interment of her ashes will be in the Uniontown Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Blackboxinternational.org, a faith-based, Christ-centered, not-for-profit organization that exists to holistically rehabilitate sex-trafficked boys age 16 and under. They provide a critical aftercare component for rescued boys to help them find healing from their past, joy in the present, and purpose for their future. Alice’s grandson, Andrew Rogers, is currently interning with this organization in the Dominican Republic.
Donations may be made directly to Community Christian Church or left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Informative Opportunities Offered At The Fort June 2
Fort Scott National Historic Site
And the Great Outdoors, Good Ol’ Days 2018
Fort Scott, Kansas: “Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods…” John Muir
John Muir talked about how he cherished spending his time in the great outdoors. During his life, he felt it crucial to step away from the hustle and bustle of life occasionally and enjoy what nature has to offer. For a look at what nature and the great outdoors has to offer in Kansas and Missouri, join us at Fort Scott NHS on Saturday, June 2, 2018, as the site joins the town of Fort Scott in celebrating Good Ol’ Days.
In keeping with this theme of the Great Outdoors, Fort Scott NHS offers a variety of outdoor exhibitors from the Kansas and Missouri areas.
- As you begin your grand adventure, look for a sight rarely seen at Fort Scott, a canoe. Visit our canoeing and kayaking booth to learn about canoeing in the local area.
- Touch and see a bison hide, as a Ranger from Prairie State Park shows a variety of ways that Native Americans used the bison (or buffalo, as it is popularly known).
- Migrate to the Operation Wildlife exhibit and experience the adventure of seeing raptors up close in this live “Birds of Prey” program.
- Moving at a slow crawl will then bring you over to visit with Dr. Kathryn Reif, a KSU professor who will be discussing tick safety, and what measures to take while hiking or walking in the outdoors.
- If all this walking is making you hungry, then grab your lunch and a blanket and join us for an old-fashioned picnic while listening to tales told by a professional storyteller, Steve Otto. Work off some of your energy by competing in an old-time mattress-stuffing race.
- If you are looking for kids’ activities, bring them by for Youth Archery Instruction from Kansas Department of Wildlife &Tourism or earn your own junior ranger badge at the Junior Ranger booth.
- Dream of building that log cabin in the woods while watching National Park Service Exhibit Specialist Jim Bailey, perform a historic carpenter demonstration of hand hewing oak timbers.
- Finally, don’t forget to saunter with Buddy the Bison as he roams the Fort.
One does not have to travel far to create their own outdoor adventure! The schedule of activities will be as follows; all programs will take place on the grounds of Fort Scott National Historic Site. Get a map as you enter the site showing where the various programs and stations will be located.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Buddy the Bison
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Canoeing/ Kayaking
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Youth Archery Instruction Session
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Broad-axe/ Hewing Carpenters Demonstration
10:00 am – 3:00 pm: “Birds of Prey” – (Live Raptors) Operation Wildlife INC.
10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Story Time – Tales of the Past
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Ticks – Did you know?
11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Old Fashion Picnic- Please bring your lunch and a blanket
12:00 pm -12:30 pm: Old Fashion Mattress Race – with prizes
KDHE: Look Out For Harmful Algal Blooms
Long Weekend Attracts Families to Kansas Waterways
KDHE encourages lake enthusiasts to keep an eye out for algal blooms
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is advising residents that while enjoying Kansas lakes and ponds this summer, they should be watchful for blue-green algae, also known as harmful algal blooms, when swimming and boating.
“There are no current blue-green algae warnings on any Kansas lakes or ponds for this Memorial Day weekend,” said Tom Stiles of KDHE’s Bureau of Water. “However, people enjoying these recreational areas should always follow information on any signs, be watchful for blue-green algae, and alert appropriate personnel if they observe any of the tell-tale signs of harmful algal blooms.”
Before visiting a lake or pond, you can check the KDHE website at http://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm for the latest information.
Kansans should be aware that harmful algal blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.
When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
- Keep pets and livestock out of lake water.
- Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
- Water contact should be avoided.
- Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
- If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
- Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.
- Fish may be eaten as long as they are rinsed with clean water, and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially-harmful conditions.
For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm. To report a potential algal bloom, you can also call the Harmful Algal Bloom Hotline at 785-296-1664.
What’s Happening In Fort Scott by The Chamber of Commerce
There are lots of activities to take advantage of in Fort Scott!
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Relaxed, Artful Evening
If one is looking for a relaxing evening with friends or family, the Bourbon County Arts Council (BCAC) Art Walk is an option.
From 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 25, the art walk will be located at the Liberty Theater Patio, 113 S. Main. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the office lobby just south of Crooner’s Lounge, next door to the Liberty.
Food and drink may be purchased at Crooner’s Lounge and delivered to the patio.
The patio event is intimate and relaxing, Deb Anderson, president of the BCAC, said.
“The artists feel more comfortable with that environment,” Anderson said.
Artists who are scheduled this evening are Paul Milks, photographer, Fort Scott; Bobbie Kemna, potter, Fort Scott; Carleen Shatto, maker of handmade soaps, Drexel, M0; Mindy Bartlett, jewelry maker, Fort Scott; Sandy Smith, potter, Fort Scott; Lucy Gladbach, painter, Missouri; Ken Anderson, elk antler decor, Fort Scott; Dee Ann Davis, cut coin pendant creator, Fort Scott and Toni Thornton, maker of dream catchers, Fort Scott.
Any artist interested in showcasing their artwork can call Anderson at 620-223-8650 before 2 p.m. today to reserve a table to sell their wares, she said.
The BCAC is hosting four Art Walks this summer, whose purpose is to showcase local artists, Anderson said.
They will all be Friday evenings at the Liberty Theatre Patio: June 15, July 27 in collaboration with Mercy’s Wine Stroll, and September 14.
“August is just too hot to have it,” Anderson said.
Additionally, the BCAC is sponsoring music concerts at 8 p.m. at the Liberty Theater Patio on June 23-featuring Ben Taddiken, July 14-The Whiskey Raccoons, August 18-Flagship Romance.
The 12-member board of the BCAC consists of Anderson, Terri Floyd, Deb Halsey, Elaine Buerge, Bre Martin, Laura Meeks, Tedena Tucker, Ray Streeter, Danny Magee, Rob Shaw and Chris Woods.
Membership is currently at 103, she said.
They meet at 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month at Presbyterian Village’s Community Room.
The BCAC’s mission is to promote and expand the arts in Bourbon County, Anderson said.
Westar and Kansas City Power and Light Merge
KCC approves Westar/Kansas City Power and Light merger
Topeka – May 24, the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) approved a settlement agreement giving Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy (the parent company of Kansas City Power and Light) approval to merge as equals. Under the agreement, the two companies will become wholly owned subsidiaries of a new parent company and serve more than 1.5 million customers in Kansas and Missouri.
As the regulator of public utilities in the state, the Commission is charged with determining if the merger is in the public interest. That determination is made largely on the satisfaction of eight merger standards previously established by the Commission.
In its review of the merger standards, the Commission found the merger, as modified by the Settlement Agreement plus one additional condition, is in the public interest. The additional condition requires the companies to develop, and submit for Commission approval, an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) reporting process within three months of the close of the transaction. The implementation of the IRP will ensure the merger maximizes the use of Kansas energy resources.
The merger standards include:
- a) The effect of the transaction on consumers
- b) The effect of the transaction on the environment
- c) Whether the proposed transaction will be beneficial on an overall basis to state and local economies and to communities in the area served by the resulting public utility operations in the state.
- d) Whether the proposed transaction will preserve the Commission’s jurisdiction and capacity to effectively regulate and audit public utility operations in the state.
- e) The effect of the transaction on affected public utility shareholders.
- f) Whether the transaction maximizes the use of Kansas energy resources.
- g) Whether the transaction will reduce the possibility of economic waste.
- h) What impact, if any, the transaction has on the public safety.
Today’s order can be viewed at: http://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx?Id=4ab19c7e-9957-40f1-8fb6-dd49aad0966f
The merger application was filed with the Commission on August 25, 2017. Statutorily the Commission is required to render a decision within 300 days. The parties have the right to file a petition for reconsideration within 15 days of the effective date of the order.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports May 25
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports May 23-24
The Fort Scott Police Department daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.
Click here, then click on the image to enlarge it:
Choose To Be Content by Patty LaRoche
This past week, Dave was called out of retirement to fill in for a pitching coach in the Marlins’ organization. Yesterday, our Jacksonville, Florida, ballclub-paid-for stay at the 5-Star Hyatt ended. During those five days we were to find an apartment for the remaining four months of the baseball season. Close-to-impossible, we found out, except for one that would be available in ten days. Until then, we were on our own looking for affordable motels with kitchenettes. The key word here is “affordable.” With little choice short of living under a bridge, we took the first one available that would not eat up Dave’s entire paycheck.
So, yesterday, after saying good-bye to the Hyatt’s valet parking, rooftop lap pool, complimentary orange/cucumber water and plush, over-sized towels, I dropped Dave off at the ballpark at noon for him to leave on a six-day roadtrip where he would stay in a 4-Star hotel. I, on the other hand, could check-in at my 2-Star facility at 3:00. In the meantime, I would make the best of it and take care of important things…
like a $30 pedicure, the kind where your feet are paraffin-waxed and your legs rubbed with hot rocks. Then I checked in at our motel. Correction: I tried to check in. No one was at the front desk. (Had I been a thief I could have made off with a new laptop and several rolls of toilet paper.) Minutes passed before I walked the halls, calling out for someone to help. Juanita finally appeared from who-knows-where.
She excused herself to check to see if my room was ready. When she reappeared with beads of sweat on her forehead, I realized she must double as the maid. Juanita read me my rights. I could have the regular, free Wi-Fi which was “really slow” or pay extra for the faster speed. If I needed towels, I was to bring my used ones to the front desk to exchange them for clean ones. The maid would change my sheets in seven days. (Oh, Hyatt, where art thou?)
I asked if there was a luggage roll-cart. There was. It was right around the corner with a hand-written sign on it: “Do not use. Tire is flat.” “Jackson” appeared from a storage closet and showed me where a workable cart was, only this one, once loaded, balked at corners and left tire tread marks on my freshly-pedicured, paraffined toes. Jackson, fearing I would run over the lobby coffee table, offered to guide my contraption.
The view from my room was a dumpster supporting broken-down mattresses, the pool was the size of a Subaru, and the towels, Kleenex and toilet paper doubled as exfoliators. Jackson told me to expect my kitchen supplies in spurts, a pot today and a pan tomorrow. “You know, because we are really busy.” Which might explain why I was the only vehicle in the parking lot. You’ve gotta laugh.
Yesterday things weren’t quite so funny. Yesterday when I ran errands, I was stunned by the number of homeless people carrying “Jesus loves you” signs. This motel would be the Taj Mahal to them. Who am I to deserve what comforts it offers (like a roof and running water)?
Paul, who penned more Epistles than any author, knew the difference between a 5-Star and 2-Star existence. Born into Hyatt-style privilege, he was well-educated and held an esteemed position among the Pharisees. He lacked for nothing…until, that is, God zapped him into a life of submission. In his words, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Phil. 4:12)
And that’s the attitude I choose to have. I choose to be content.
So now, if you will excuse me, I am off for a 30-minute swim. Two-thousand, four-hundred laps should do it.
Like I said, you’ve gotta laugh.
Free Outdoor Downtown Movie May 25
There will be four, free movies for family entertainment this summer at the City Park just south of the Lowell Milken Center at Wall and Main streets downtown.
The first one is The Incredibles sponsored by Bids and Dibs and also Fort Scott Family Dental. The movie will start at 8:30 p.m. on May 25. In case of inclement weather, the movied will be moved to Memorial Hall.
Free popcorn and drink will be available.
The event is facilitated by the Fort Scott Convention and Visitors Bureau. Check out the website at http://www.visitfortscott.com
Darby Toth: National Speech and Debate Student of the Year Nominee
2018 Fort Scott High School graduate Darby Toth is a National Speech and Debate Student of the Year nominee, she was notified last week.
Toth has qualified all four years of high school to attend the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Florida, this year June 15-23.
But this year she is one of five finalists for National Speech and Debate Student of the Year.
While at the national tournament this year, Toth will interview with selected debate coaches to find out her placement.
The honor is a dream come true, she said.
“I want to thank all my coaches,” Toth said. “Amber Toth, Travis Toth and Sarah Bahr for giving me the tools…and an avenue for this to happen, because this truly is a dream becoming reality.”
Two of the speech and debate coaches are her parents, both teachers at the high school.
Amber Toth taught debate, forensic and speech, Travis Toth teaches history.
“It’s a family rule,” Darby said. “You have to try (speech and debate) for one year.”
It has become one of her passions, she said.
Speech and debate have had “amazing” effects on her and has allowed her to follow her other passion: social justice, Darby said.
Through her high school years, Darby has honed her communication and goal-setting skills learned in speech and debate.
She helped organize a formal dress drive at her school as a sophomore.
“We got winter formal (dress) donations for anyone who couldn’t afford it,” she said.
Following Hurricane Harvey’s devastation of south-east Texas, Darby used the skills to help raise almost $5,000 for schools in Texas, she said.
She took it upon herself to start a sexual harassment awareness campaign when she learned that issue was a problem for some students at FSHS.
“It was definitely a challenge to get students, administration, and teachers on board,” she said. “It took a pretty detailed mapping of a plan…..they plan next year to have a sexual harassment awareness speaker come speak to the entire student body. We have several posters up around the school. Our counselors are more aware that it is an issue in our school and are working with the students.
“There were some kids who were not being appropriate in the classroom, physically,…they faced repercussions for what they did.
“I felt I needed to be a voice for people who felt as if they didn’t have one because I knew what happened in the classroom wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. I heard personal stories of girls, whether in or out of the high school. They are suffering in their personal life.”
An AXA Achievement Scholarship was awarded to Darby’
“It’s a $1,000 grant to the high school… it’s used for teacher professional development,” she said. “I gave Mr. (Shawn)Thomas (FSHS Principal) all my research on the subject, Restorative Justice. Instead of a zero-tolerance program, it’s more restorative, therapeutic based…I asked that (the grant) be used for Restorative Justice.”
This topic includes focusing on the reasoning behind student actions, then mediating and working through it, she said.
The AXA Achievement Scholarship is awarded to students because they have demonstrated ambition and self-drive.
For more information on this scholarship click here:
https://us.axa.com/axa-foundation/AXA-achievement-scholarship.html
Darby received other recognitions as well.
She had a 4.0 Grade Point Average at FSHS in mostly honors classes and received an Ellis Foundation Grant, Peterson Scholarship, Garvey Scholarship, a Kansas Honor Scholar among others.
Darby is a four-time Speech and Debate National Qualifier, District Top Point Earner for two years, state champion in oration, state runner-up in impromptu speaking, number one debater/forensicator in Kansas, District Student of the Year, ranked in the top ten nationally, and recipient of the Debate and Forensics Scholarship-chosen by a panel of teachers.
Toth will attend Washburn University with a psychology major and leadership minor in the fall.
“I would like to work with children, especially the impoverished,” she said. “Starting my own practice would be cool… Working in a school would be cool. Which would provide an avenue to coach debate/forensics.”